72 | THE GRAND TOUR OF SWITZERLAND
www.nitravelnews.com
November/December 2025
THE GRAND TOUR OF SWITZERLAND
SCHAFFHAUSEN The short train journey north from my
By Patric Baird
Patric Baird sets out on a culinary adventure in the footsteps of Lord Byron...
THE Grand Tour concept began in the mid-eighteenth century, in which privileged young aristocrats would embark on a long journey,
often
accompanied by a retinue of tutors, servants, porters and guides, to view, and sometimes acquire the artistic and cultural treasures of Europe. Despite
their wealth and status,
the travel could be arduous and often dangerous as there were no railways, and many European roads were no more than rough tracks. However, the Grand Tour was regarded as a character-forming rite of passage, and a rich source of conversation for these young gentlemen upon their return.
Despite being neither young nor aristocratic, I recently embraced the spirit of the Romantic poet Lord Byron, one of the most famous Grand Tourists, to take part in the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Grand Tour of Switzerland (GToS) and hopefully acquire the odd souvenir and a few anecdotes of my own along the way.
Unlike that of the young bard and his contemporaries, my journey from Belfast to Dublin airport, followed by a direct flight to Zurich with Swiss International Airlines, was completed speedily and without either serious incident or any assistance from an entourage. Swiss also fly twice weekly from Cork to Zurich, visit
swiss.com for more details.
Although I was fortunate to be part of a small group, complete with a driver for the five-day duration of my mini-tour, there
are many suggested itineraries
which can be built around one’s particular interests, such as history, scenery and culinary experiences (my own particular vice), including the ultimate1600km road trip featuring famous mountains, lakes, mountain passes and many stunning UNESCO sites which can be completed in
around nine days. There are also shorter, or even longer, possible durations covering sites and journeys throughout the different regions of the country – renting a car upon arrival through GToS partner Europcar is the most popular option, but there are alternatives including travel by Switzerland’s world class rail network, plus designated motorcycle and bicycle routes. Visit the Grand Tour section of
switzerlandtravelcentre.com or your local travel agent for inspiration. If you choose to complete the full tour and
accept the Pokémon-style ‘Gotta Catch ‘Em All’ challenge using the Grand Tour App, there are almost 100 scenic highlights to capture along the route, all with photo spots in a wide diversity of landscapes marked by a perfectly-placed red frame.
arrival into Zurich, which takes a short detour across the German border and back into Switzerland, brought me to the town of Schaffhausen, which boasts Europe’s largest and most powerful plain waterfall, the Rhine Falls. I caught a brief glimpse of it from the window of the train, but the following day I got within spraying distance of the swirling cauldron as the Rhine river cascades between the huge rocks and boulders, overlooked by the 1200 year-old Laufen Castle. I also discovered my first red photo spot on the viewing platform, complete with a queue of grand tourists like myself, eager to capture a selfie alongside one of Switzerland’s many awe-inspiring, natural wonders. The town itself also has many wonders, although most are man- made. Narrow cobbled streets radiate from the pretty town square, featuring grand merchants’ houses painted with intricate designs, with the more ornate indicating the higher status of the original occupant. Overlooking the city is the 16th century Munot Fortress, accessible by a long and steep stairway, surrounded by a vineyard in which I spotted the local vintners harvesting the plump purple grapes to be used for this
year’s production of local wine. Hard to find beyond Switzerland due to the limited quantities produced, I can testify that local wine can easily compete with that produced by its German, French and Italian neighbours. The next stop was the nearby town of Stein Am Rhein, featuring similar painted houses and medieval architecture beside the shores of Lake Constance, and an excellent traditional lunch of Solothurn wine soup and veal Cordon Bleu by the waterfront at Restaurant Wasserfels rounded off my first day in North East Switzerland. This was before the three-hour drive to the next stop on my trip. Where to stay: Hotel Vienna House by
Wyndham, Zur Bleiche Schaffhausen, a modern, cosy hotel beside the railway station.
wyndhamhotels.com/en-uk/
vienna-house/schaffhausen-switzerland/ vienna-house-zur-bleiche-schaffhausen/ overview
ST GALLEN
I’d never before eaten dinner in a restaurant built in 1484, but in the city of St Gallen, such a thing is not so unusual. There are quite a few restaurants housed in historic buildings, mostly located on the first floor, with my particular hostelry - a former butchers’ guild called Zum Goldenen Schäfli, (at the golden lamb) - being the city’s most famous due to its regional and seasonal delicacies which were amongst the best looking and tasting dishes of my entire trip. The next morning, a walking tour of the historic centre introduced us to a statue of the founder of St Gallen – an Irish missionary by the name of St Gall
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